Education

IAPG Education Mission

Education with a focus on youth is central to Iowa Aviation Promotion Group’s missions. The IAPG Board is always seeking to improve its educational programs. There are presently two major initiatives in education: the youth rally program and the cooperative project with the Air Force Association to recognize aerospace education Teachers of the Year.

Iowa Aviation Youth Rallies – Half-Day Programs

Iowa Aviation Promotion Group in partnership with Iowa Space Grant Consortium, Iowa DOT Office of Aviation, sponsoring airports, and aviation groups such as the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), has held half day Iowa Youth Aviation Rallies at various locations in Iowa. In 79 events held 2006–2018, nearly 4000 youngsters have attended.

Content includes instruction on airplanes, aeronautical principles, airports, weather, flight planning, aviation careers, and more. Where available, each youngster has the opportunity to take an EAA Young Eagle flight. Rallies typically conclude with a pizza luncheon and award of a certificate and T-shirt.

These events are absolutely FREE! The target age groups are usually 9–12 or 10–15.

IAPG encourages airports, pilot groups, EAA Chapters, and fixed base operators to organize a Youth Aviation Rally. Rallies should be offered free of charge and may or may not included flights for participating youth. The materials which follow may be downloaded and/or printed out for use by organizers of youth aviation rally events:

Teacher of the Year Recognition: Cooperative Program of IAPG and Air Force Association

Annually, outstanding teachers who use aviation and space concepts to enhance the teaching of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in K–12 classrooms, are identified and recognized with Teacher of the Year awards provided by the Air Force Association.

The 2015 Teacher of the Year is Lisa Horsch who teaches middle school science at Johnston Middle School. She was named Des Moines Chapter Teacher of the Year and among her awards was a $250 in cash prize. She was nominated for the honor by Steve Black, a corporate member of Iowa Aviation Promotion Group.